Support Artur Davis or Else!

There is much ado about nothing being made about nothing over at my former litter, I mean sandbox about democratic gubernatorial candidate Ron Sparks. It's no secret I was booted out of the sandbox because I was not an Artur Davis supporter/defender/appeaser but my friend bluebearcat could stand it no longer and stomped out of the sandbox too.

This has gone beyond ridiculous. The fawning over Artur Davis and the character assassination on Ron Sparks has become unbearable to me. One could make the case that, on the whole, Artur Davis is lesser of two evils for progressives. I don't agree with that case, but it can be made. Mooncat, you have not been making that case. You have twisted yourself into knots to defend Artur Davis' votes on health care and cap-and-trade and to defend the increasingly conservative philosophy that led him to vote poorly on other matters.

By lending progressive cover for these actions, LiA is not only refusing to hold Artur Davis' feet to the fire, they are actively enabling him to move the state Democratic party even further to the right. When Davis has the most prominent liberal blog in the state functioning as a pr team defending his most conservative actions and policies, what pressure does he feel to move to the Left?

Likewise for Ron Sparks, Mooncat's posts on him have rarely focused on substantive issue-based disagreements, instead preferring innuendo of personal impropriety (how many posts did we get on that damn loan story)? Sparks' faults as a candidate are many - not the least of which is his stance on Constitutional Reform, but LiA's wholly unsourced allegations/implications of dishonesty, fraud, and... (gasp!) drinking and fornication by Ron Sparks have destroyed any ability they might have had to influence the direction of his campaign.

This has been an exercise in poor journalism and poor advocacy.

As such, I am sorry to say that I no longer have a place here. It's not just a matter of Mooncat supporting Davis and me supporting Ron Sparks; if that was the case, I would be perfectly content to spend all day posting rebuttal diaries. In all honesty, I cannot see myself marking a ballot for either one of these clowns in June. My bigger issue is that LiA has, in my humble opinion, abandoned its mission as a forum for information, discussion, and advocacy for progress in Alabama.

I plan on returning often to follow the excellent coverage/discussion of out-of-state matters and those limited in-state matters with no effect on the governor's race but I don't see any reason for me to participate in future discussion here. I thoroughly enjoyed most of my time here and wish all member of the LiA community all the best.

What's the flap about you ask? Well it all started with this post about the "unfortunate news from the Ron Sparks campaign". What is the "unfortunate news" you ask? Well, Ron Sparks former campaign manager, Sharon Wheeler was charged with a DUI and illegal lane change on I-85 in Montgomery, AL.

Ron Sparks' campaign manager, Sharon Wheeler, was charged with DUI and "illegal lane usage" last night on I-85 in Montgomery. See the ticket here. I know Montgomery is a hard-partying, hard-drinking town, but don't drink and drive is a very simple rule and the higher up you get, the more important it is to set a good example for others, lest you be made an example of.

Wheeler, who joined the campaign in January after almost a year as Parker Griffith's chief of staff, has offered her resignation and Ron Sparks has accepted it. It's unfortunate, but she will probably get the bulk of the blame for the Sparks campaign's troubles, especially now that she's gone.

What campaign troubles you ask? That's what I want to know too. You would think Ron Sparks voted against health care reform and he was skeered to show up for debates/forums after his NO vote.

You would think the Sparks campaign as the young people say "dissed" the most loyal groups of democratic voters in the state or something.

You would think the Sparks campaign stood up for Confederate History Month or something.

You would think the Sparks campaign was imploding because Sharon Wheeler got a DUI. Geesh. Personally I'm glad Sparks accepted the resignation of Wheeler. Anyone that used to work for Parker Griffith is suspect in my book (remember Justin Saia?). I said a long time ago that if Sparks were smart he would find the best African American consultant in the country and go after the black vote like white on rice. Don't ask me who that consultant is, but I'm sure they are out there. Maybe he should hire Daryl Perkins, Artur Davis' ex political campaign manager. I'm just saying....

Artur Davis needs to reign in his supporters. I realize they are trying to discredit Ron Sparks in an attempt to help Artur Davis,but it is dividing the democratic party and alienating democratic voters. I'll tell you right now, it's going to be hard for me to support Artur Davis IF he is the democratic nominee after he's pandered to the right at the expense of the traditional democratic base. I hope he will ask his supporters to drop the bashing and smearing of Ron Sparks and those who don't support Artur Davis.

A party divided will not stand.

The democratic party has been infilitrated.

Alabama Democrats likely need more Populism and Progressivism from their Chairman than prayer and publishing.

The democratic party is not pure or perfect because it's been infiltrated by those who don't share democratic party principles or values. Candidates and elected officials feel free to take our money and our votes for granted and pander to those who might vote for them (or not) at the expense of those who have to vote for them because they have no where to go.

Bash and smear me all you want. You aren't hurting me. You're hurting our party and our country.

Enough said.